


What Distant Skies

by ArtemisDiana



Series: Tyger Tyger Burning Bright [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: 'Dooku is dumber than a box of rocks' or 'you karking idiot', Also I couldn't decide whether to call this, Blood, Fallen!Obi-Wan, GFY, I borrowed a little of Venge!Obi-Wan from Flamethrower, M/M, There Will Be Blood Here, sorry kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-03
Updated: 2015-12-03
Packaged: 2018-05-04 17:56:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5343191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtemisDiana/pseuds/ArtemisDiana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Qui-Gon's been out in the Rim since his Master chose him as his apprentice, and the Null is their next destination. His Master wants him to know how to handle himself should he end up on the wrong side of an inhibitor, but neither of them intended to pick up a guest who's been stuck there for a very, very long time...</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Distant Skies

**Author's Note:**

  * For [flamethrower](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flamethrower/gifts).



                He doesn’t really understand the depth of his teachers’ warnings about leaving himself open to things other than the Force until it’s far, far too late, when he’s backed into a tight corner and trying frantically to reach for his Master, but instead… something _else_ answers.

                _‘Close your eyes, little one…’_

                A looming, dark form steps up and out of his shadow, inky black cloak swirling around and through him as he sinks to his knees behind the figure, suddenly heavily exhausted and aching. His head is swimming, vision wobbling, and he can’t seem to focus on what’s going on between his attackers and the newcomer.

                _‘Close your eyes, I said, you don’t need to see me… work.’_

                He shuts his eyes tight, hands fisted in his robes as he struggles to stay where he is, stomach roiling as he listens to the cracks of breaking bone and wet squelches in front of him. Finally, the noises begin to die down around him, only the faint rustling and thumps of dropped bodies hitting the ground until at last, not even his own breathing echoes in his ears…

                He jerks back, sucking in a sharp, choking breath as cold fingers gently grip his jaw, and he tries not to think about what exactly they’re wet with. He shivers hard as the figure’s other hand passes over his still closed eyes, leaving sticky streaks across his skin, and he feels the other being kneel down in front of him.

                ‘What could possibly bring a Padawan like you to the Null, little one? It chews up those who can touch the Force with no mercy, and you… you touch the Living Force so easily… it would enjoy you especially.’

                The man’s voice is soft and cold, and he shivers as he realizes that the first whisper hadn’t been him speaking out loud.

                ‘If this is the Null, how did you… we don’t even have a bond.’

                There’s a quiet, rusty chuckle in front of him, and he feels fingers drawing symbols on his temples and across his brow, and he sways slightly as they prickle against him.

                ‘Without the Force, blood is currency here, and with the… correct applications of it, it can function much like the Force when I need it to. Now, you didn’t tell me why you’re here, of all Force-Forsaken places.’

                ‘My Master brought me here, said it would be a good experience and a good place to train in case we ever ran across Force inhibitors on a mission. We were doing just fine, but then a walkway gave underneath me, and I’m not sure how many levels I fell until I managed to grab hold of some wiring thick enough to hang on to.’

                He holds out his hands, torn palms facing up, and he hears the hiss of a sucked in breath before cold fingertips trail across them. He flinches, trying to close his fingers, but a firm press holds him still and he takes a deep breath as frigid fire sweeps across his torn nerves.

                ‘That should keep you from scarring too badly to use your lightsaber, little one. Your Master is an idiot, how did he even get Knighted? Come, stand up for me. Do you remember where your ship set down?’

                He struggles to his feet, the other’s hands shifting to his upper arms to support him, and he sways up against sturdy shoulders as he tries to get his legs to stop shaking.

                ‘It’s near a building shaped like an arch, there’s an extensive water garden next to it, that’s where we landed.’

                ‘I know where that is. Open your eyes now, but keep them on me. You shouldn’t look away until I tell you to.’

                He does so slowly, wincing as his eyelashes peels apart, and his wrist is caught in a tight grip as he reaches up to rub at his eyes.

                ‘Don’t. You rub that off and you won’t be able to see even half of what actually lives here on the Null. It’s a Force-forsaken miracle you even made it close enough to me that I could reach you. I’m going to skin your Master and feed it to him.’

                He grimaces  slightly, peering… down at the other figure, and hisses in surprise as blazing gold eyes glare back up at him, fingers intertwining with his own.

                ‘I’m Fallen, yes, but I’m no Sith Lord. I won’t eat your heart, or whatever crèche tales they tell about the Fallen now.’

                ‘I’d have an easier time believing that if it didn’t look like you ate whoever was attacking me. You’ve still uh… got blood in your teeth.’

                The man shrugs, copper-blond hair shifting forward to sweep across his eyes before tugging on his hand and walking backwards to lead him out of the blind alley. He keeps his eyes focused on the man’s face, trying to ignore what he’s stepping on, until they’ve moved into a new area. When they slow to a stop, he looks down at their hands and has to swallow bile as he takes in the blood smeared over his skin.

                ‘It’ll keep you alive, if you can figure out how to tap it.’

                ‘I don’t think that that’s something I’ll ever be capable of doing, even after I’m a Knight.’

                ‘To each their own. With the Living Force, you would be stronger in it even than I am, but it can wait, as long as you promise never to come back here without me.’

                He nods his agreement, a small, rough smile creeping onto the other’s face, and he can’t help but smile back.

                ‘Who are you? Were you a Jedi?’

                The man shakes his head, scowling heavily and tightening his grip.

                ‘You may call me Ben for now. To use real names here is to invite trouble of a sort that I may not be able to protect you from. True Names have power here, just as blood does. Now would be a good time to go back to your ship, before we catch anyone else’s attention.’

                With Ben still keeping a tight hold on his hand, he follows him into a deepening shadow, crying out in surprise as they drop into darkness. It feels like standing in the middle of a lashing storm, lightning crashing down around them, and then there’s grass beneath his fisted hands as he crumples, shaking.

                ‘Padawan!’

                ‘Oh Sith hells, child, get up and tell your Master not to do anything foolish!’

                This entire idea is foolish, he thinks, but climbs up to his hands and knees anyways.

                ‘Master!’

                His Master is standing between him and Ben, lightsaber lit, and he knows that if he doesn’t do something soon, Ben is going to end up very dead.

                ‘Master, he saved my life, he brought me back here so we could go home!’

                ‘Padawan, that is a Sith, and I will not suffer one to live!’

                Ben snarls at his Master, eyes shining so brightly that he’s sure they’d be seen in the dark, and it’s at that moment that he realizes that Ben has a lightsaber lit as well, a deep sapphire blue in a steady defensive position. He is not the aggressor here, that is all on his Master.

                ‘This is the Null, you karking idiot! I Fell to keep myself alive when I couldn’t get off this fecking planet! And then you landed here on purpose! On! Purpose! What I rescued your Padawan from would have eaten him alive and enjoyed every minute of it! I have half a mind to get on your ship and call your Council myself to get someone else assigned as that poor boy’s Master before you murder him!’

                'He needs to learn!’

                ‘He can’t learn if he’s in pieces in something’s belly! Sith hells, man, are you out of your bloody mind!’

                He wobbles up onto his feet, stumbling until he can push his Master’s hand down to a less threatening position and swallows hard. The humming of their lightsabers feels like it’s throbbing in his ears and he closes his eyes as he struggles not to vomit.

                ‘Master, please, I need a Healer… Let the Council make this judgement.’

                There is a long moment of tension before his Master finally disengages his lightsaber and steps back. He can feel Ben relaxing slightly as well, disengaging his own lightsaber as well, but he knows that Ben is still dangerous, though not immediately volatile, and he slowly opens his eyes.

                ‘Uh… Ben? What is that?’

                There’s a shadowy mass at the edge of the garden, undulating as it hovers, slowly growing darker and he could swear that he saw shapes moving inside of it.

                ‘That is why you need to get off this planet immediately. That can feel the connection you and your Master have with the Force, and it wants to consume you, steal your power for its own. Onto your ship, quick as you can, now.’

                Ben turns to regard his Master with a strange expression on his face, one that he might even call longing if he thought Ben might be so inclined.

                ‘Master Jedi, give… give Master Yoda my regards, if he still lives.’

                ‘Wait, Ben! You’re not coming with us? Don’t you want off this planet?’

                He quails slightly beneath the force of his Master’s disapproving glare before swallowing hard and stiffening his spine. Ben had saved his life; he wasn’t just going to let him rot here! Besides, if he knew Master Yoda, then he must have been a good Jedi at some point.

                ‘Padawan…’

                ‘Master, we owe him. And you taught me we always repay our debts.’

                ‘Fine. But you are responsible for him on the journey there.’

                His Master led the way up the ramp onto their ship, and he pulled Ben along behind him, making sure everything closed up tight before showing Ben to the cockpit.

                ‘Ready to go home, Ben?’

                A warm hand wrapped around his and a small smile tells him yes.


End file.
